Should Sarah Palin Step Down?

There is a growing chorus of political pundits calling for Sarah Palin to step down as John McCain's running mate.

Fareed Zakaria, who hosts CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, is among them. In a recent column that ran in both Newsweek and The Washington Post, he called Palin "utterly unqualified to be vice president" and encouraged her to get out of race. He even offered her the perfect excuse, suggesting she tell everyone that she wants to spend more time with her family.

Hey, I'd buy it. Wink, wink!

Meanwhile, even the Republicans, who were once so in love with Palin, want her out of the race.

Kathleen Parker, who writes for the National Review (and you can't get more conservative than that), is among them. In a recent National Review essay, Parker insists that Palin is simply out of her league and not qualified to be our country's vice president—let alone president in the event that something happened to McCain.

"Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League," Parker writes.

Parker continues: "No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted."

I'm not just cringing when I see Palin interviewed. I am freaking out, and it goes beyond me disagreeing with her on the issues. She was literally spewing gibberish during her interview with Katie Couric! Gibberish!

I disagree with Mitt Romney on the issues, but the idea of him being vice president doesn't send shivers down my spine. Palin being a heartbeat away from the presidency terrifies me. I can't believe McCain chose the Alaskan governor/hockey mom as his running mate when he could have easily gone with a more qualified candidate. Like Romney!

At the very least, Romney can string together sentences that actually make sense.

But where do stand? I want to hear from you Republicans, and I know from the Hot Topic boards that you're reading. (I know where my fellow Democrats stand, but don't let that stop you from venting, too!) Did McCain make a terrible mistake choosing Palin as his running mate, and do you think it is possible that Palin might step down, especially if she tanks in Friday's debate with Joe Biden?

To be honest, I can't really see her quitting, but I can dream.

Looking back, whom do you think McCain should have chosen as his running mate?

(Images courtesy of Getty)

Comments

[Orion]

Us republicans? Who is your audience here? I know there are some gay republicans, but how self-hating must we be?

[Doyle]

The only reason you are "dreaming" of Sarah stepping down, is she scares the living "F#)#*" out of you!and for Good Reason! Here is someone who is Mrs. Everyman who see's politics as the way it should be, a vehicle to serve the people, NOT a vehicle to get more power for the few, the elite, the socialist!
Sarah's record of getting involved at the PTA level when she wanted to do something good for her kids and her school, to the involvement in her town, all the way up the running for governor and Winning, shows her willingness to find a need of true reform and making things better and then doing something about it! Now, why should that scare you? Most likely, from what i can tell from your postings, you are just like the typical cultural elitist, who thinks you know best! Well, you do not! Socialism will not reign supreme in this country as long as there are true red blooded Americans who believe in personal responsibility, small government, and the inidividuals right to start his or her own business and not be taxed into bankruptcy like so many of the Democrats/Socialist in the congress and running for President want.
You know that if Sarah becomes Vice President, she will go after the very people who seek to gain more power and control over our lifes and expose them for who they are. If that happens to be in the republican party as well as the democratic party, then so be it! IT will serve the country well to have a "real" human being, not polluted by Washington greed of power in her position; someone who is NOT beholden to special interst groups like moveon.org, etc.. but to the American people as a whole.
The other thing that scares You is the fact that if Sarah's elected, Hillary and the Democrats will never be able to say "THEY broke the glass ceiling" You will have one less lie to perpetuate that "you" have Womans issues solely in your corner. Look at the Record, not the hyperbole, It's the Republican Party that has on many occasssions, including the last 8 years, who have given women and minorities more opportunity to serve in high positions in government office than the democrats. It was a Repbulican that nominated the first African American to the Supreme Court, as well as The firt Afrian American to serve as Secretary of State and the First African American Woman to serve in the same position. Event the first self proclaimed "black president" Bill Clinton didn't do that~!
I could go on, but my fingers are tired and besides, i hardly doubt reason and facts would persuade you.